Race Tech Gold Valve - Some Notes

[piotrek]

Not a walk-through but just some general information for anyone doing research on the product, now that I can offer an opinion. It is a nice upgrade to the stock front suspension on the one-legged FJ-09. The kit replaces the two OE valves (compression and rebound) in the active leg. Compression damping remains non-adjustable. If one is considering options.... this mod won’t break the bank and it works very well. One could also just have the kit installed by a suspension shop.

The process is very close what is shown in this YT video describing installation of a similar kit. I also recommend watching Race Tech videos (here). These are oldies but goodies.

THE KIT

The kit (FMGV S2050C) is meant for several different bikes. It contains everything you will need for the FJ, and several things that you won’t. Fork springs/spacers (if needed) and oil need to be purchased separately. I already had the springs that I purchased from Stoltec (re-used OE spacers).

Instructions (here) aren’t the best… so it's helpful to read up on how the stacks are constructed and how they work. Some light bedtime reading is recommended. The promise of the Gold Valve is a more composed ride due to improved oil flow through the re-designed valves with custom-built shim stacks. OE and Race Tech valve bodies compared below.

DIGITAL VALVING SEARCH (DVS)

A Digital Valving Search (DVS) code is contained on the instructions sheet that comes in the kit. This code entitles the owner to a one-time custom setup. This involves going to an online DVS portal and completing a questionnaire, but... the portal wasn’t recognizing my DVS code, so I emailed Race Tech and got a Technician assigned to help me out. The Tech asked a few questions (type of bike, rider weight w/o gear, riding style etc.), and then sent me a setup sheet.

The setup sheet contains shim stack setup, recommended replacement springs and the suspension oil. Initial preload and rebound damping settings are also noted.

INSTALLATION

Heat is required to access the compression and rebound valves as the threads are treated with red thread-locker. This is where a solid setup of the cartridge in the vise (aluminum or plastic jaws) becomes important. You do not want to be fighting with the cartridge spinning or moving out of position when doing this. Freed OE valve assemblies shown below.

The kit replaces many of the pieces shown skewered on the zip ties below, including shims, valve bodies, the compression valve O-ring and the rebound piston band.

There are several packets of shims in the box, but they’re NOT sorted or labeled with anything meaningful… so you basically have to sift through the pile to find the ones listed on the setup sheet. A digital Vernier caliper will make the task easy enough. Shims sorted in required order...

The Race Tech setup sheet also required drilling a 1.3mm bleed hole in the compression valve body… which wasn’t very difficult. Some kits will come with the hole per-drilled.

The OE rebound stack included a mid-valve, which the new configuration removes, leaving just the check plate in place. The space vacated by the mid-valve shims needed to be taken up with a spacer during re-assembly. The O-ring (compression) and the piston band (rebound) aren’t in the image. They went on just in time for installation into the cartridge.

SUSPENSION OIL

The DVS sheet specifies oil type and levels for each fork leg. The specified Race Tech oil is super expensive, so I used it only in the re-valved active leg. Filled the dead leg with inexpensive oil as it is only there to create an air spring, and for general lubrication. The setup called for 110mm in one leg, and 130mm in the other, measured from the top of a fully collapsed outer tube.

RACE TECH SUPPORT

Getting assistance from Race Tech was an exercise in patience. It took a couple of days to receive response to queries… and there were a few. The work was done in the off-season, so thankfully this didn’t cost me riding time.

RESULTS

UPDATE - JUNE 5, 2019

While performance over smooth pavement was very good (my initial impressions), the setup was too harsh for city streets and other less-than-great pavement conditions. I felt that forks weren’t compressing enough, and there was too much damping in the circuits. 500 kms into the experience, I reduced the oil viscosity to ~12CSt@40C (to lessen damping) and reduced the oil level to 140mm in each leg (to lessen air-spring effect).

2,000 kms of riding on many kinds of roads and at various speed/load conditions, I can now say that I am finally happy with this mod. Word of caution for anyone going this route... be prepared to experiment with oil viscosity and oil level to tune the performance of the forks. Valving still works very well, but the oil viscosity and the oil level specified by Race Tech were inappropriate for the type of riding that I do.

I picked Bel-Ray 3W HVI and eventually settled on the damping screw at 4-5 clicks out from closed.

[koth442]

That's a great write up, thanks! I"m going to pin this to the top.

Is compression and rebound now adjustable externally? Or would you need to swap fork oil / tweak something inside the fork leg?

[texscottyd]

@piotrek - Thanks for documenting all of this!  I have the same RaceTech Gold Valve setup on mine, but took the lazy route and had my local shop do the install.  It’s nice to see what is actually going on inside the updated forks.  

It made a huge difference on my bike.  I was a bit concerned initially about the non-adjustable compression damping, but I must say that the RaceTech valving recommendation has been spot on.  I might have wanted to try just a fraction more compression damping, but it’s at least a 95% solution as delivered.   

[skipperT]

Nice write up, Piotrek.

Did you replace the rear shock as well? 

-Skip

[stumpy]

i had the gold valves installed  with new springs last year and have noticed a nice improvement also.  rebound adjustment seems to be more noticeable than before and it does not dive down when on the brakes.  

[piotrek]

9 hours ago, skipperT said:

...Did you replace the rear shock as well?

Yes, Nitron NTR R1 with a 650lb spring.

[koth442]

4 hours ago, stumpy said:

it does not dive down when on the brakes. 

That's great to hear. That's one of my main complaints with this motorcycle's stock suspension.